Ridgecrest, California is home to about 28,138 residents. Median household income is $88,107 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 31.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area, the top-earning finance-related role is Financial Manager at a median $153,030 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Closest Finance Schools to Ridgecrest
The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer finance programs near Ridgecrest, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Ridgecrest city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.
How We Rank Schools
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most
recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS).
To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the
U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked
against schools at the same credential level:
BOCSCORE
- Graduation rate 30%
- Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
- Average net price (lower is better) 20%
- Retention rate 15%
- Fully online availability 10%
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Ridgecrest.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Acceptance rate
94%
Graduation rate
55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$59,977
Avg net price
$4,564/yr
TuitionIn‑state$8,093
Out‑of‑state$20,693
Key stats- Retention rate: 79%
- Programs offered: 38
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
92%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$104,736
Avg net price
$28,849/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 97%
- Programs offered: 7
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
71%
Graduation rate
64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$65,464
Avg net price
$20,161/yr
TuitionIn‑state$49,470
Out‑of‑state$49,470
Key stats- Retention rate: 70%
- Programs offered: 30
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
93%
Graduation rate
57%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$59,115
Avg net price
$7,021/yr
TuitionIn‑state$7,458
Out‑of‑state$20,058
Key stats- Retention rate: 74%
- Programs offered: 43
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
22%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$42,678
Avg net price
$12,152/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
26%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$44,950
Avg net price
$14,379/yr
TuitionIn‑state$1,388
Out‑of‑state$9,884
Key stats- Retention rate: 100%
- Programs offered: 63
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Graduation rate
93%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$92,498
Avg net price
$32,740/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Key stats- Retention rate: 96%
- Programs offered: 68
Source:IPEDS · College Scorecard
Acceptance rate
76%
Graduation rate
76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$67,699
Avg net price
$14,304/yr
TuitionIn‑state$15,606
Out‑of‑state$49,806
Key stats- Retention rate: 88%
- Programs offered: 14
Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission · IPEDS · College Scorecard
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California finance page.
Finance Wages Near Ridgecrest
Ridgecrest is part of the Bakersfield-Delano, CA metro area (BLS area code 12540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|
| Personal Financial Advisor | $111,580 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $110,585 |
| Financial and Investment Analyst | $101,230 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $100,327 |
| Loan Officer | $76,500 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $75,818 |
| Financial Manager | $153,030 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $151,665 |
Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Ridgecrest at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|
| Population | 28,138 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $88,107 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 31.7% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 100.9 (above U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
Other Ridgecrest-Area Cities With Finance Programs
- Barstow, CA – 63.3 mi away (30,503 pop)
- Lancaster, CA – 71.0 mi away (348,760 pop)
- Arvin, CA – 72.4 mi away (21,380 pop)
- Adelanto, CA – 73.2 mi away (33,391 pop)
- Palmdale, CA – 75.9 mi away (157,356 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the highest-paying finance roles near Ridgecrest?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying finance-related roles near Ridgecrest are: Financial Manager ($153,030), Personal Financial Advisor ($111,580), Financial and Investment Analyst ($101,230). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in Barstow instead of Ridgecrest?
Barstow, CA is 63.3 miles from Ridgecrest and has its own set of local finance programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Ridgecrest an affordable place to study finance?
Ridgecrest’s median household income of $88,107 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Ridgecrest while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Learn More About Finance Programs
Other Programs Available in Ridgecrest
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Data verified: July 30, 2026.
Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
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